Innholdsfortegnelse for 1478 i Auto Express

@jimmybrods KIA has revealed the latest addition to its burgeoning SUV range in the form of the all-new Stonic – a new Nissan Jukesized crossover which the Korean brand expects to become one of its bestselling models when it goes on sale in the UK before the end of the year. The small SUV market is booming and Kia is after a slice of the profits. The Stonic is set to sit beneath the Sportage and Sorento in the range, and serve as a rival for the likes of the Juke and Renault Captur, as well as the new Hyundai Kona (driven on Page 16). In order to make the new Rio-inspired crossover stand out in this increasingly crowded marketplace, Kia promises this is its most customisable car to date.…

@jimmybrods THE new Porsche 911 GT2 RS has made a surprise debut in the metal at this year’s E3 event in Los Angeles – one of the biggest trade shows in gaming. It’s the star car in the next game in the Forza Motorsport series, and was introduced on stage during Microsoft’s Xbox news conference. Oddly, Porsche has made no official announcement on the vehicle. It’s hard to miss the huge vents and splitter at the front of the car, while the bonnet gains two triangular shaped brakecooling ducts. Aggressive GT3 RS-inspired gills are placed on the wheelarches, and naked carbon-fibre stripes loop from the bonnet and over the roof. The new car rides on lightweight multispoke centrelocking wheels, 20 inches in diameter at the front and 21 inches at…

We get behind the stories that affect you BREAKDOWNS happen for a number of reasons, but the job of garages is to accurately diagnose and fix the faults so that we can continue using our cars. Having to keep revisiting the garage for more repairs is far from ideal, especially if a new fault seems to crop up on each visit, leaving you thousands out of pocket. Lizz White, from Sturminster Newton, Dorset, contacted Auto Express seeking advice on whether the £3,000 worth of repairs on her Citroen C4 Picasso were all necessary. Back in March, Lizz’s car broke down in the Cotswolds. She had it towed to a nearby main dealer, Thompson First Citroen, where she was advised that all four fuel injectors would need replacing at a cost…

mailto@autoexpress.co.uk, @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC Tesla Model S 100D FROM: Wiley A NEAR-400-mile electric range should put an end to the range anxiety arguments. With a growing network of Superchargers, Teslas are starting to make more and more sense for the average driver. Now only the price has to come down. FROM: WomblingFree I WISH I could afford a Tesla. I’m on my second Nissan Leaf, and while 125 miles between charges is good, 400 miles would be better. But I can’t imagine how often I’d need the full range, given my commute is just seven miles long. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ▪ “I’m very impressed by the 100D. It’s expensive, but showcases what a topof- the-range…

@AE_Consumer IN Issue 1,476 you read all about the best 75 new cars to own, but now it’s time to reveal the best manufacturers in the business according to owners. While car makers can shine through individual models in the Driver Power new car survey, the manufacturer countdown has no room for such luxury, as we name the brand with the best new model line-up across the board. We included the same nine categories in the maker’s survey as we did with the new car survey, asking owners with cars less than 12 months old to rate them on their engine and gearbox, exterior, interior and comfort, practicality and space, ride and handling, safety features, mpg and running costs, reliability and build quality, plus their infotainment, connectivity and electrics. As…

TINY swirls and scratches in the clear coat literally take the shine off your car. They obscure the paint underneath, giving bodywork a dull finish. It’s no surprise that there are plenty of DIY solutions to smoothing away those marks, from polishes to colour restorers and scratch removers, all aiming at a different level of abrasiveness. We’ve looked at the higher end of the scale with scratch removers that aim to remove marks that can be seen but not felt with a fingernail. All were tried on sections of a scrapyard bonnet that was covered in tiny swirls, plus we added some marks of our own. With limited wiping, we rated progress on the marks, as well as the overall finish. “Nothing in the test could match the way it…

IF you clean your wheels frequently and they’re in good condition, you’ll need little more than a mitt and pressure washer. Leave them for a few weeks and you’ll require a specialist wheel cleaner. Finding the best is tricky, though; a powerful pressure washer or effective brush can mislead because they will remove much of the grime on their own. Our test has been constructed to focus on what the wheel cleaner shifts without the help of water. We applied each product to long-neglected wheels following the maker’s instructions, taking note of any dwell time. We then gently rinsed the section, assessing just how much grime was removed. The test was repeated and the section gone over with a weighted brush to ensure a consistent pressure. Our final factors were…

▪ Evolutionary look but advanced new platform for small car star ▪ Larger, more mature VW model will go on sale in UK in October @LobAllan “It’s 81mm longer than before and only slightly shorter than the Mk4 Golf of the nineties” Drive shows that comfort is key ALTHOUGH the covers have just been pulled off the new Polo, we joined VW’s development team in South Africa for an early taste of the supermini in Issue 1,469. Our drive confirmed that the Polo is shaping up to be the most comfortable version of the supermini VW has built to date. The model we drove featured a 94bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. We found the engine to be best suited to gentle progress, with a gearchange…

E-Class Cabriolet names its price MERCEDES has completed the E-Class family by announcing that the new Cabriolet (above) will be priced from £44,675. That buys an E 220 d diesel. An E 300 petrol costs £45,565, while the more powerful E 400 starts at £55,715. The most expensive car in the UK range at launch is the E 350 d diesel, which costs £55,910. AMG Line is the only specification available, and all versions of the soft-top feature a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Green light for VW’s ‘electric Microbus’ VOLKSWAGEN boss Herbert Diess has confirmed that the company will put a Microbus-style production car based on the I.D. Buzz concept into production. VW has been considering a successor to the original Microbus for years. It will be VW’s third EV model…

@JRRBatchelor WITH its gold-plated image and legendary story, the Mini rarely needs an introduction. But the car you see here does require some explanation. This is the Mini Remastered: built by David Brown Automotive, it’s a reinterpretation of the classic and is the company’s second car. “Think of it as the ultimate coachbuilt Mini,” founder David Brown told us. “It’s like the Wood & Pickett Minis of the sixties.” The intention is to deliver the ultimate in opulence while meeting modern customers’ wishes. So there’s a plush interior with leather, Alcantara headlining, climate control and a neat-looking seven-inch touchscreen – including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Each Remastered starts out as an original car. Its VIN plate is carried over but a brandnew shell is added. There’s a new grille,…

FOR the 16th year in a row, our Driver Power satisfaction survey has revealed the best cars to own, according to buyers. This acts as an invaluable tool when choosing your next motor, plus also provides vital feedback to car makers on what they’re doing right and where there’s room to improve. In Issue 1,476 we revealed the best new models as voted by owners, and this week it’s time to name the top manufacturers. And there are some key lessons for car makers this year. The first is how important infotainment and technology is to new car owners. Our results show brands that didn’t get the whole package right were often criticised. It wasn’t enough to have a great sat-nav system and smartphone connectivity, because if the touchscreen proved…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m). Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Which?: 01992 878329 Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 01722 422422 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0330 159 0364 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumerombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Association: 0131 331 5510…

CO2/tax 117g/km £140 or 22% Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 591/1,670 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 10.6/9.9 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 45.2/33.6/10.2m Running costs 43.7mpg (on test) £62 fill-up MODEL TESTED: Peugeot 3008 1.2 PureTech 130 Allure PRICE: £24,295 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 129bhp THE 3008 signalled a change for Peugeot. Replacing its dowdy predecessor and repositioning the nameplate as a proper SUV instantly placed the car at the sharp end of the class. In 1.2 PureTech Allure spec the 3008 costs £24,295 – more than the Ateca. Is it worth it? DESIGN & ENGINEERING score 4.2 UNDERNEATH the 3008’s sharp exterior is Peugeot’s EMP2 platform. This scalable chassis architecture’s record is strong, as the 3008 SUV and the 308 family hatch that use it have claimed the title of European Car of the Year.…

@AE_Consumer WANT to keep your car in pristine condition? You’ve never had it so good. Car care is one of the major growth areas of the aftermarket, with new products and brands hitting the accessory shop shelves and online retailers every year. Each is claimed to have the ultimate solution, the most effective cleaner, the longest-lasting wax or the easiest and quickest application. And the choice can be utterly bewildering, which is why we have dedicated this issue to recognising the finest, best-value car care products that money can buy. We’ve tested more than 200 products in 15 categories over the past year so you don’t have to. And over the next 15 pages we’ve put together the ultimate guide to the best cleaners and treatments to preserve and protect…

EVEN drivers who would never dream of cleaning their car, let alone waxing or claying it, buy screenwash. It is an under-bonnet essential all year round, shifting filthy road grime from the windscreen in winter and dead bugs in summer. And that’s the problem when buying screenwash – different dilutions are often required for different seasons, which makes picking the best product confusing. A screenwash that is cheap in summer can work out very expensive in winter. And one that shifts bugs easily may ice over at the slightest sign of a cold snap. Our test hunts for the best year-round solution. We rated cleaning ability, then put the products in a deep freeze to see how they’d fare in winter. We also calculated seasonal costs. “We often find that…

WANT to give your car a protective coating, but don’t have the time? A wash wax could be the solution. These go on as the car is either being dried or directly on to wet bodywork. Either way, they take a step out of the process, making the job quicker, while still giving your car valuable protection. But although they save time, wash waxes take more effort to apply than simply drying the car, so you want the protection to last. While they may not match the longevity of a modern paste formula, the best are more than equal to conventional quick spray waxes. And durability was at the heart of our test. We checked for water beading over three weeks after applying each to a scrapyard bonnet. Ease of…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.3 seconds/124mph Running costs 64-70mpg (116d) £61 to fill-up CO2/tax 103-108g/km £20-£30 WHEN BMW launched its original 1 Series in 2004 it wasn’t the most cohesive design, but it became a big seller. Buyers were wooed by the badge, while a wide range of engines and bodystyles meant there was something for everyone. The second generation, introduced in 2011, still had plenty of engines and trims but just one bodystyle – a hatchback, with the coupé and convertible moved to the new 2 Series range. Now available from as little as £8,000, the 1 Series Mk2 can make a great used buy, depending on your needs. History CODENAMED F20/F21 by BMW, the 1 Series Mk2 made its debut in September 2011 in 116i, 118i, 116d, 118d and…

Dean_Gibson@dennis.co.uk AFTER a two-week break, the Formula One teams are back in action for this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. It’s the second year that the F1 circus has landed in the Caucasus – although last year it was held under the European GP banner – and the race on the streets of the capital, Baku, should be an entertaining affair. Last time out in Canada, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton dominated the weekend by winning from pole position. And as the Baku track has a similar layout to Montreal, with long straights joined by slow corners, Mercedes should do well again. However, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel will be looking to make amends after having to put in a storming drive from last place in Canada. While Vettel qualified second, a firstcorner collision with…

@AE_Consumer DRIVERS may soon have to list all of their car’s options on an insurance application, which could result in more expensive policies for some, Auto Express can exclusively reveal. Peter Shaw, CEO of the insurance industry body Thatcham Research, told Auto Express: “We are working with car manufacturers and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders over sharing of optional fitment data with the insurance industry.” He said that this would allow insurers to more accurately price premiums in the future. According to Shaw, complex options like driver assistance systems which rely on radar sensors fitted around the car have, in part, caused repair costs to “rise by 32 per cent in the last three years”, yet insurers are currently left in the dark about which owners have such…

@johnmcilroy HYUNDAI will launch a pure-electric version of its all-new Kona small SUV in 2018, as part of a major offensive with sister brand Kia that will see 31 electrified models introduced by 2020. A fully electric Kona was confirmed by Hyundai’s vice-chairman Chung Eui-sun at the car’s reveal event in Seoul, South Korea last week. It will have a range of “at least 390 kilometres (242 miles)”, according to senior Hyundai officials, putting it at the upper end of the capacity of small EVs. The new car has been made possible because, in contrast with many of its rivals, the Kona has its own platform that is separate from the underpinnings of its sister supermini, the i20. Hyundai has designed the chassis with both fourwheel drive and electrification in…

@JRRBatchelor Behind the wheel of new Civic Type R TYPE R versions of Hondas don’t come along very often, and when they do they’re normally at the end of the model’s life. But we haven’t had to wait long for the new Civic Type R. Honda says it has addressed the biggest criticism of the old Type R – the ride – while still making it super fast. News editor Jonathan Burn went to Germany to see if Honda has delivered on what it has promised. Our A-Z of car tech continues, with ‘B’ OUR in-depth, A-Z look at the technology in the modern car continues with another video. This week our eye stops at the letter ‘B’ – so that’s everything from brakes to life-saving tech like blind spot…

Head of Police Liaison at TRACKER www.tracker.co.uk VEHICLE technology has come far in recent years, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that cars are more secure as a result. However, while the days of hotwiring are long gone, criminals are using new, hi-tech methods to bypass immobilisers and keyless entry systems. A new and worrying tactic called ‘relay attack’ is one such method. This has been seen in the US and Germany, but it’s also appearing in the UK, with thieves using a relay radar device to steal a car. One stands near the owner’s home to pick up the signal from the key fob inside the house and relays it to the car using the radar device. This allows others to open, start and steal the vehicle in seconds.…

CO2/tax 120g/km £140 or 23% Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 510/1,604 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 10.7/10.3 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 46.4/32.4/10.8m Running costs 34.6mpg (on test) £58 fill-up MODEL TESTED: SEAT Ateca 1.0 TSI Ecomotive SE Technology PRICE: £22,250 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 113bhp SEAT’s 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine isn’t as widely available in the Ateca range as the 1.2 in the 3008, so it’s the £22,250 SE Technology model we put up against the Peugeot here (although our pictures show an Xcellence version). However, there’s a similar level of tech and efficiency potential on offer – so can the Ateca convert this into victory? DESIGN & ENGINEERING score 4.1 THE Ateca is based on the VW Group’s MQB platform. This underpins everything from SEAT’s new Ibiza supermini (driven on Page 38) to the…

EASY on the pocket and a breeze to apply, a tyre shine adds a finishing touch when cleaning your car, and there should be no debate over whether to use one. A deep, glossy black sidewall can lift a car’s looks and set off newly cleaned alloys or trims. And the best only take a minute to put on, so there’s no excuse not to invest in a tyre shine. The large, high-profile sidewall on the Mitsubishi L200 pick-up we’re running on our fleet meant we could test more tyre shines this year than ever before. We applied no less than 23 to that big tyre and drove the car for 10 weeks – longer than usual – to find the best. We regularly monitored progress, looking for a new…

A LEATHER interior may be an option drivers aspire to, but few realise it needs more attention than fabric upholstery. As a natural product it needs to be cleaned and nourished regularly to replace the oils that keep it supple and prevent cracking. If you regularly use seat heaters, hides should be treated more frequently as the higher temperatures dry out the oils more quickly. A key part of our leather test is to see just how much protection is left on the cleaned hide by measuring how long it takes for a water droplet to soak in. We also wanted a good cleaner, so we assessed how much grime was removed from our scrapyard seat, but also added pen ink to see how the products dealt with this. The…

REMOVING grime you can’t see may not appeal to every driver, but if you are to make the most of a wax or paint sealant it’s an essential job. Clay bars lift away the particles and contaminants embedded in paint even after the most thorough of washes. You may not be able to see them, but you can certainly feel them. Put a finger inside a plastic bag and run it over the paintwork. If it feels like sandpaper, it needs claying. There is a wide range of clay bars on sale, from mainstream brands to detailing specialists. To find the best we tackled a neglected bonnet twice using any supplied lubricant, with limited wiping, assessing the finish after each go. We also considered whether water could be used as…

Dear Lawrence, I’m looking to downsize to a smaller car, but don’t want to lose the equipment that my Jaguar has. What should be on my list for £12,000? Michael Stroud, E-mail Contact: Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk ▪ THE VALUE CHOICE DS 3 FOR: Chic design, good value, performance AGAINST: Dated and cheap cabin, road noise IF your idea of a premium supermini is more rooted in the design, the desirable DS 3 is worth a look. It lacks the practicality of the other two cars here as it’s a three-door only, and fit and finish could be better, but the DS has more style and personalisation choices. While the driving position is awkward for some, it’s fun on the road, with punchy PureTech petrol engines. In the classifieds was a 66-plate 1.2…

FINALLY – some solid, independent and practical specialist evidence for individuals and companies wondering whether to buy or lease diesel cars. In short, the unbiased testimony goes like this: in real-world conditions, some midsized to large diesel cars are, all things considered (including the hated NOx emissions), still among the cleanest, most fuel-efficient and least environmentallyhostile vehicles around. They’re at least as green as equivalent petrol models. Therefore drivers can, with a clear conscience, purchase and use them – even a few ‘monsters’ that have 3.0 or 4.0-litre engines plus four-wheel drive. Who says? Nick Molden, CEO of Emissions Analytics. This is a firm that monitors and analyses real-world emissions from vehicles. It’s not working on behalf of the ecomental industry, the State, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders or…